Ongoing Bangladeshi politics and the role of left force

           It is hard to suggest anything to the left force in BD regarding their duty in the current political situation in Bangladesh. For any model to put in place you need some ideal or at least predictable situation for this. But in Bangladesh the political situation is completely unpredictable hence it is hard to make any suggestion as well. But the common duty of any progressive force is always to fight for the right of common people, fight against fundamentalism. In Bangladesh it is more than the case. If we look back we see people in this part independent to their religion lived more or less in peace until early 20th century. In 1905 when Bengal was divided, the whole Bengal and India were flooded with protests and the British Govt. ultimately retreated. Those days it was told that “What Bengal thinks today, the rest of India does it tomorrow”. It was the time, when great social reforms took place. And taking British education, a school of Bengali Greats leaded the movement in all sphere of life. Begin by mainly Hindus it was soon taken up by many Muslims as well. But the British were cunning enough to make all fool. And they their mighty weapon – divide and rule this time using religious color. From the very beginning they used it with great mastery. The war of Plessey was won thanks to the division in the local Army. So it was not a hard job for the British to find someone who pick the slogan and demanded for a separate country. In Pakistan, as we were taught – there was no place for Bengal (recall P for Punjab, K for Kashmir, S for Sind and TAN for Baluchistan). It was also regarded as PAKSTAN – a holy place. Maulana Azad, who was born in Mecca and lived in Kolkata and was the President of National Congress for several terms, opposed the idea of two nations from the very beginning. But Muslim Leaders from Bengal like Suhrawardy took the idea up, and he together with Mujib popularized it among Muslim population in Bengal. So prior to 1947 political struggle in this part of Bengal was for the establishment of a Muslim country. But soon people understood the marriage was a contract one, and the condition of the contract was one sided. This understanding and socio-economic condition leads to the freedom fight. But freedom fight was not merely a fight for liberation from Pakistan, but also a fight for the liberation fromcolonial policy, from two nation theory which was imposed on them and military rule. t. This current was reversed with the killings of Sheikh MujibarRahman and other four leaders. For 17 years the one by one the country gave up the achievements of freedom fight and after the fall or Ershad, the country, especially the political establishment is yet to decide whether Bangladesh be a secular and democratic country or an Islamic country. So when someone talks about pro-liberation or anti-liberation force I see it either he is pro-Bangladeshi or anti-Bangladeshi. Pro Bangladeshis are those who believe in the very existence of Bangladesh as a secular and democratic country as these were the reasons behind the birth of Bangladesh, while anti-Bangladeshis are those who tried to give it a religious flavor.  So duty of any progressive and left party as I see it is to fight for democratic and secular Bangladesh.
            But the million dollar question is how to achieve it. Frankly speaking, I have no idea. At present Bangladesh is divided into two antagonistic camps.  One is the pro-liberation alliance headed by AL (the parties which took active part in anti-Pakistan movement and fought the freedom fight) and the other is so-called anti-liberation force lead by BNP (Parties those came to light after 1975 coup and those who fought against freedom fighters during the liberation war). There are also many parties, mainly leftist, including CPB, who refrain from joining any alliance. But in the present situation all the democratic and secular forces should think twice before going to the coming election from different fronts. As I have wrote earlier in a note
            We have all the reason to believe that in the light of new World socio-political situation the progressive and democratic political forces in Bangladesh could tone down their personal ambitions and unite to take the Shahbag movement to the logical end. There are many ways out, but only a few could lead to ultimate goal – a democratic, secular and economically strong Bangladesh. For this we need a united platform of progressive political parties, cultural workers, intellectuals and business establishment, who together with AL compete in the upcoming Parliament election, form opposition and support AL govt. from outside the govt. Bangladesh needs a third force – strong pro-liberation opposition Party – who in one hand can end the AL-BNP monopoly and on the other hand keep JP and JAMAT out of mainstream. And AL should realize that they need a predictable, pro-liberation opposition more than anything and do everything to get the work done. They should even support the candidates from this platform in the coming election. 25 – 30 seats won’t cost AL power. But for this to happen, each Party should be sincere and as the first step towards a greater pro-liberation platform AL should release the bloggers arrested on false charges.
            Now main question is whether AL is ready to take the others. For this two things are needed. First of all AL has to settle their internal differences. I have no doubt AL has done quite a good job during this term, but their internal quarrel, action of its shadow organizations let it down all the way. It is unfortunate that a party like AL with all their public support during the last general election could not handle the undisciplined cadres strongly. This small group of people keeps both AL and BNP in captivity. Both parties think, if they take strong action against those musclemen, they will join the opposition party, hence always let the matters go unnoticed. Here one needs the will, needs to take the risk only once. These musclemen have nothing to do with AL, BNP. They don’t bother about the country or who will rule it. What they want is to take the opportunity to make money, no matter who is going to give it. If once one of the two main parties shows that they are no longer interested in being a card in the hands of these people, these people will leave the arena. Politics is neither their profession nor their passion – they are here just to make money, to dictate conditions. So when they find the big parties could no longer be blackmailed, they will look for some other ways to make money.
            Second thing which is needed is modesty. AL should remember that other parties, no matter how small they are, can still be an equal-footing partner and can take them to Victory. There should be mutual respect for each other. A common platform, where everyone independent to their quantity or investment, could feel himself a full-fledged member of the alliance and take equal part in forming the agenda of the time. The left small parties on the other hand should remember that any non-cooperation to AL at present means to cooperate BNP- Jamat alliance that bring the risk not only to lose in the coming election, but to lose the country all together.  In the hour of need wise people can forget their differences and come to mutual understanding and agreements. I strongly believe there are enough wise men both in AL and left front to take the correct decision.
            Finally I want to say, it is an open question and problem is one with two ends open. Depending on what you put at this end, you get result in the other. Results are not known, but predictable. You have to decide what Bangladesh you want: secular and democratic or fundamentalist theocratic? Some people pose this question to Bangladeshi people and argue them to vote for AL and alliance. I think before asking people vote for them they should make themselves ready for that. They should realize, they will suffer more than the common people (unfortunately common people suffer in the hand of bothAL and BNP), so it their duty to change themselves and get ready to win peoples’ support. Last time they showed their support. And if they fail to get the same support this time, it is only they to blame, not the people. Time is running fast and each quarrel in AL rank taking its supporters away from it.
         One more problem of our political parties is the lack of flexibility. Two main parties like to speak in the language of ultimatum. In this way they corner the opposition not so much as they corner themselves.  If you are in waryou need the killer instinct, but when the battle is political, you should keep some room for the opposition to react, react keeping his face as well. And all these happen as a result of mutual disrespect. Unless you respect your opposition, hardly you can be regarded as a respectable politician. We need to understand, we are no longer a kingdom, where the King and his whims are the final words. In democracy opposition is as important as the ruling party. And the sooner they understand this simple thing the better for them and for the country as well.
            Long ago when two parties failed to reach a settlement they divided the country. Now many understands it was not the best solution to the problem country was going to face after independence. The same policy was taken in Pakistan that made the country fall apart. Now there is nothing to share. You can no longer divide the country. So it is time to understand as long as there will be people, there will be different ideologies, different points of view, and different religions and so on so on. So better to take it as given and try to make the best use of what we have. 
            I started this note sometimes in early September, when my Ex-BSU friends asked me to give a talk on BD left politics at this point. In a few days after the seminar Comrade Selim was attacked by the Chatra League cadres in Sylhet. So I postponed this report for a time being. Now things are changing, but little has changed in BD left politics. Parties, who represent left sector including CPB seems to lacking clear vision. First they are fighting for the just demand of garment workers, which force them to take anti-government (mind anti-government, not anti-AL) stance. On election they don’t have clear idea I guess. If they support National Government scheme they will be dubbed as pro-AL. But their stand regarding election with the participation all major parties (read BNP) de facto support BNP in their demand for care-taker Government.  I think they should be vocal for free and fare election, be it under national Government or care-taker Government. Independent to the structure of the Government there will certainly be vote rigging, and both sides will do that in accord with their strength in the giver area.  If the newspaper reports to be believed many leaders who were far more vocal for care-taker Government are now changing their stance. Even BNP is ready to reconsider their position if AL makes some concessions. I think BNP is strong enough to press their demand. If they fail big brothers like USA, EU, India and some other will come to make a settlement. So playing with BNP CPB can earn a bad name – a B team of BNP which is in no way better than the B team of AL. I don’t want to say that CPB is working like this, but in fact their activities look like this. We are not living on a flat world, it is round, hence the right begins just where the left ends, i.e., right stands next to left.
            Today, when the spirit of Mukti Moncho still alive, we need some fresh air to breathe – an atmosphere that if not helpful, at least won’t be deadly harmful for the progressive movement. It could be done only by defeating fundamentalist force lead by Jamat-Shibir.  And it should be prime task of all left forces of Bangladesh in the coming days.     

November 20, 2013